Chapter 9 Flashcards
Primate Behavior
The study of the behavior of primates, including social structure, communication, foraging, and reproduction, to understand the evolution of human behavior.
Dominance Hierarchy
A ranking system within a primate group that determines access to resources such as food and mates, often established through aggression or displays of dominance.
Grooming
A social behavior in primates where individuals clean or maintain each other’s fur, which helps to strengthen social bonds and reduce tension within the group.
Altruism
A behavior in which an individual helps another at a cost to itself, often seen in primates as a way to strengthen social bonds or increase the chances of reciprocal help in the future.
Communication
The exchange of information between individuals through vocalizations, gestures, facial expressions, or other means, which is crucial for maintaining social structure in primates.
Vocalizations
Sounds produced by primates to communicate with each other, which can convey information about danger, food, or social status.
Facial Expressions
Movements of the facial muscles that convey emotions or intentions, used by primates to communicate within their social groups.
Foraging
The search for and acquisition of food, which can involve complex behaviors and strategies in primates, such as cooperation or the use of tools.
Dietary Adaptations
Physical and behavioral traits that allow primates to exploit specific food sources, such as specialized teeth for grinding leaves or adaptations for eating fruit.
Frugivorous
A diet primarily consisting of fruit, common in many primates.
Folivorous
A diet primarily consisting of leaves, found in some primates such as howler monkeys.
Omnivorous
A diet consisting of both plant and animal matter, common in many primates, including humans.
Mating Systems
The patterns of mating behavior in a species, which can include monogamy, polygyny, polyandry, or promiscuity, and are influenced by factors such as resource availability and social structure.
Monogamy
A mating system in which one male and one female form a long-term pair bond, often seen in primates where both parents contribute to raising offspring.
Polygyny
A mating system in which one male mates with multiple females, often seen in primates where males compete for access to females.
Polyandry
A mating system in which one female mates with multiple males, relatively rare in primates but seen in some species such as marmosets and tamarins.
Promiscuity
A mating system in which both males and females mate with multiple partners, common in many primate species.
Infanticide
The killing of infants by adults, observed in some primate species as a strategy by males to increase their own reproductive success by eliminating the offspring of rivals.
Cooperative Breeding
A system in which individuals other than the parents help raise offspring, seen in some primate species such as marmosets and tamarins.
Territoriality
The defense of a specific area against intruders, often seen in primates as a way to protect resources such as food or mates.
Home Range
The area in which a primate group lives and forages, which can vary in size depending on the availability of resources.
Dispersal
The movement of individuals away from their natal group to join another group, often seen in primates as a way to avoid inbreeding and reduce competition for mates.
Inbreeding Avoidance
Behaviors that reduce the likelihood of mating with close relatives, such as dispersal or mate choice, which helps to maintain genetic diversity in primate populations.
Primate Cognition
The study of the mental abilities of primates, including problem-solving, memory, and understanding of social relationships, which provides insights into the evolution of human intelligence.
